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Heir of the White Lotus (Web Novel) - Chapter 1502 Rightful Seat
Chapter 1502 Rightful Seat
This chapter is updated by JustRead.pl
Berger stepped onto the tiled floor of the Twilight Brotherhood's headquarters.
The faint echo of his footsteps carried through the vast hall. He slowed almost instinctively as his gaze drifted across the familiar arches, the balconies, the floating platforms, and the long corridors branching off into shadows.
So much was the same, yet everything felt so different...
The gnome's lips curled into a faint smile, remembering the time when Gerald Acadia had brought him to this place for the first time.
I was so young back then, Berger thought.
But the Old Man, he... he had always been old.
Memories surfaced in his mind of old arguments held within rooms, exchanges with allies that were no more, moments of certainty when the Brotherhood's purpose had felt clear and unshaken.
He walked across the vast hall. On the way, most people did not recognize him. But some did. And they couldn't help but begin to follow behind him, their eyes blazing with rekindled hope.
Of course, all of these people hailed from the Preservationists faction. Their leader had returned, and it was none other than the legendary Gerald Acadia's protege!
Berger came to a stop before the Founder's statue, standing in silence as he lifted his gaze toward the hooded figure carved from stone.
To most Magi of the organization, the statue's face remained indistinct, smoothed by time and shadows. To him, it was not.
As a Mana Core Magus, the concealment magic no longer applied.
The sculpted face beneath the hood was clear. It had calm eyes, measured features, and a faint, knowing expression that felt almost... alive.
The craftsmanship was too precise to be symbolic. It was a faithful likeness. Berger studied it for a long moment, his expression unreadable, as if weighing the man the Brotherhood once followed against what it had become.
Our goal was to maintain peace, search for and preserve knowledge on ancient magic, and protect the innocent, whether they be mortals or Magi, he thought to himself.
We were supposed to be the lord guardians of the realms...
So when did we begin to cower before evil?
When had compromise replaced righteousness?
When did it all go wrong?
Berger heaved a heavy sigh.
He lowered his head slightly toward Aldo Wagner, a gesture of respect.
The gnome turned around, the hems of his cloak fluttering heroically behind
him. He noticed a small group of people - humans, dwarves, gnomes, and elves - standing behind him, gazing at him with respect and admiration.
He offered them a light nod and then headed deeper into the depths of the headquarters.
"Krummor," he said.
"Yes, Lord Councilor!" The dwarf respectfully answered.
In private, Berger was a friend to him, and so he could refer to him by name. But inside the Brotherhood's headquarters, he was his superior. Thus, proper salutations were necessary.
"Where are they?" Bereger asked in an even voice.
"All of them are waiting for you, My Lord," said the swarf. "They're in the great council room on the lowermost floor."
Berger lowered his head, his eyes narrowing.
"Take me to them."
***
The Council of Dawn convened within a dimly lit chamber deep in the Brotherhood's headquarters.
It was a place reserved for decisions that shaped the fate of the entire order. A round stone table dominated the room, its surface etched with ancient runes worn smooth by the ravages of time.
Eight high-backed chairs surrounded the table, tall and imposing, each meant for a Councilor.
Yet, three of them stood empty.
Especially two of them, their absence impossible to ignore, casting long shadows across the chamber and serving as a silent reminder of how much the Brotherhood had lost.
Five Councilors, mighty Mana Core Magi, sat silently at the table.
Uther Bowman, the leader of the Diplomats, had his eyes closed and his fingers clasped together, resting on the table. He was seemingly unbothered by the
arrival of the newest Councilor.
Agron Yacgar, the leader of the Interventionists, and Kenton Hastings, the leader of the Free Agents, sat side by side. Though they appeared calm on the surface, a tumultuous storm brewed within them.
Although they had been the ones to propose Berger's return, they weren't quite sure now how the gnome would act with them. They could only hope that a fruitful alliance would be formed. Regardless, bringing Berger on board was the best counterattack to Bowman and the mysterious group behind him.
Finally, there were Shaw Jidu and Carlton Yates. They were the only ones looking forward to Berger's arrival.
The five Councilors had been waiting for several minutes now. Yet none of them spoke a word of dissent.
"I wonder if Councilor Glynhorn has lost his way," Shaw Jidu cracked a lighthearted joke to diffuse the tension in the air.
But it hardly received a reaction.
Bowman didn't bat an eye. Meanwhile, Yaegar and Hastings forced a faint smile. Carlton Yates's lips curled into a smirk, clearly amused at their reactions.
Suddenly...
The towering doors of the chamber creaked open, and soon a cloaked figure of
short stature emerged.
All the Councilors turned towards the newcomer.
Berger exhaled slowly and finally stepped fully into the room.
The instant his foot touched the stone floor, a vast, oppressive aura surged outward from him, crashing into the room like a physical force.
It was heavy.
It was... tyrannical!
The air thickened as the atmosphere plunged into a tense silence under the
weight of his presence.
Although none of the Councilors shrank back or trembled under Berger's aura, they couldn't help but be utterly shocked.
This was not the presence a newly-advanced Mana Core Magus should have
possessed!
Berger paid no attention to their stunned expressions. He was doing this purposely, for he had to make a statement.
He casually took out his long, smoking pipe and drew in a slow breath as he calmly walked around the table, looking at everyone's chair with his piercing
gaze.
At last, he stopped before a particular chair - the seat his mentor had once
occupied.
The gnome gently brushed his fingers along the armrest of the chair. He smiled faintly, knowing that if his mentor were still alive, he'd be very proud of him.
Berger finally took his rightful seat at the Council of Dawn.
He gazed at the four Councilors who had sent him the official letters, formally
requesting his return to the headquarters.
Then, his eyes shifted.
He coldly glanced at Uther Bowman, who sat across from him and silently
studied every movement he made.
Berger's lips parted, and he asked with a mocking grin:
"What was your name again?"
